Cruise Ship Lifeboat Drill Crew Assignment SOP

Procedure for assigning, confirming, and documenting crew lifeboat station assignments, including station bill distribution, new crew familiarization, drill accountability, and amendment control.

Steps

• Verify the current crew roster and drill date
  The Chief Officer verifies that the current crew roster matches the latest crew movement report and confirms the scheduled drill date at least 24 hours before drill start; record the verification timestamp and any discrepancies in the muster log.
• Distribute the station bill to all relevant departments
  The Crew Purser distributes the current station bill to all relevant departments and confirms receipt from each department head before assignments are issued; record the distribution time and acknowledgements.
• Assign each crew member to a lifeboat station
  The Department Head assigns each crew member to one primary lifeboat station using the current station bill and crew roster, then records any backup role only if specified by the station bill; document all assignments in the drill log.
• Brief new or reassigned crew on their station duties
  The Lifeboat Station Leader briefs each new or reassigned crew member on station location, duties, reporting route, and escalation path before accountability is confirmed; record completion of the briefing on the crew familiarization checklist.
• Confirm drill accountability at each station
  The Station Leader confirms attendance at each station against the drill attendance sheet and immediately escalates any missing crew to the Safety Officer; record the accountability check and any missing personnel before proceeding.
• Record assignment amendments and drill exceptions
  The Safety Officer records all assignment changes, exceptions, and reasons in the amendment log immediately after they occur, and notes any follow-up action required for unresolved coverage gaps.
• Review and close out the drill documentation
  The Chief Officer reviews the amendment log, drill attendance sheet, and station bill for completeness, then closes the drill record only after all discrepancies and follow-up actions are resolved or assigned.